WASHINGTON: First Indian-origin US Senator Kamala Harris has instructed Indian-American politicians to talk the truth and join the "collective fight" against bigotry, hatred and the growing anti-immigrant sentiment in America.
Addressing a novel amassing of over 200 Indian-American candidates, elected officers, philanthropists, group leaders and different events, Harris instructed fellow Indian-Americans to hunt inspiration from their country of foundation.
"Let's speak truth. This country was founded by immigrants. Unless you're native American or your ancestors were kidnapped and brought over on a slave ship, you people are immigrants," Harris said in an inspiring speech on the first-of-its-kind event organised through the Indian American Impact Project the day gone by.
"An administration rescinding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) systematically attempting to purge our nation of immigrants, is a fact that should disturb everybody - whether an immigrant or not, who comes from a family of immigrants or not, whether their descendants are from Ireland or India. It's a collective fight," she said.
Harris said her mom was born in India and maternal grandfather was probably the most freedom combatants in India.
"I'm trying to remember what some of the slogans were when my grandfather participated in India's independence because I am sure that some of those apply to what is going on with today's world," she said.
"And one of them was a national motto at the time and it still is today, which is truth alone triumphs. So let's think about where we are today," she said.
Harris informed American leaders to look during the lens of the nations of their foundation and call to mind it during the lens of what they do and what they sought after to do and can do to provide a shiny long run for the country they are in.
"This has been a moment in time where we as Americans are being required to look in the mirror and answer a question of who we are?" she said.
"I believe we are a great country. And part of what makes us who we are is that this country was founded on certain ideas, ideals that were present when we wrote the Constitution of the US: which is that we are all equals and should be treated that way. This is a moment in time that is requiring us to fight for those ideals," she said.
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said while the Indian American group had been leading in the areas of culture, industry and academia, the same kind of dynamism, creativeness expertise is missing in the political sphere.
In each and every space Indian-Americans had been punching above their weight "except for one and that has been in elected officials. And it's time that Indian-Americans came forward and provide the leadership", Booker said.
"From tech to the arts to business, Indian-American dominance is helping America, but the one area that we have to lead in is civic space for policy where ideas are being shaped," Booker said.
The half-a-day event was addressed through all the Indian American Congressmen - Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal.
"The summit was first-ever event of its kind," said Gautam Raghavan of the recently-formed Impact Project, which is holding a observe of a few 80 Indian-Americans running national this election season.
"We brought together over 200 Indian-American candidates, elected officials, donors, community leaders and organisers from around the country to talk about how as a community we can reach the political sophistication where we are able to run for office and then help lead our country," he said.
Noting that numerous things got here out of the dialog, Raghavan said the Indian-American group was at a "tipping point" the place it has four members in america House of Representatives, one senator and over 90 candidates on the poll this yr.
"There's numerous enthusiasm and energy and for the primary time numerous Indian-American potential candidates are pondering to themselves, this is something I will be able to do.
"Whereas 10 years in the past you discovered that people were very reluctant to take into consideration running for administrative center, now there's a sense that it's imaginable for Indian-Americans who run for administrative center," Raghavan said.
Addressing a novel amassing of over 200 Indian-American candidates, elected officers, philanthropists, group leaders and different events, Harris instructed fellow Indian-Americans to hunt inspiration from their country of foundation.
"Let's speak truth. This country was founded by immigrants. Unless you're native American or your ancestors were kidnapped and brought over on a slave ship, you people are immigrants," Harris said in an inspiring speech on the first-of-its-kind event organised through the Indian American Impact Project the day gone by.
"An administration rescinding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) systematically attempting to purge our nation of immigrants, is a fact that should disturb everybody - whether an immigrant or not, who comes from a family of immigrants or not, whether their descendants are from Ireland or India. It's a collective fight," she said.
Harris said her mom was born in India and maternal grandfather was probably the most freedom combatants in India.
"I'm trying to remember what some of the slogans were when my grandfather participated in India's independence because I am sure that some of those apply to what is going on with today's world," she said.
"And one of them was a national motto at the time and it still is today, which is truth alone triumphs. So let's think about where we are today," she said.
Harris informed American leaders to look during the lens of the nations of their foundation and call to mind it during the lens of what they do and what they sought after to do and can do to provide a shiny long run for the country they are in.
"This has been a moment in time where we as Americans are being required to look in the mirror and answer a question of who we are?" she said.
"I believe we are a great country. And part of what makes us who we are is that this country was founded on certain ideas, ideals that were present when we wrote the Constitution of the US: which is that we are all equals and should be treated that way. This is a moment in time that is requiring us to fight for those ideals," she said.
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said while the Indian American group had been leading in the areas of culture, industry and academia, the same kind of dynamism, creativeness expertise is missing in the political sphere.
In each and every space Indian-Americans had been punching above their weight "except for one and that has been in elected officials. And it's time that Indian-Americans came forward and provide the leadership", Booker said.
"From tech to the arts to business, Indian-American dominance is helping America, but the one area that we have to lead in is civic space for policy where ideas are being shaped," Booker said.
The half-a-day event was addressed through all the Indian American Congressmen - Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal.
"The summit was first-ever event of its kind," said Gautam Raghavan of the recently-formed Impact Project, which is holding a observe of a few 80 Indian-Americans running national this election season.
"We brought together over 200 Indian-American candidates, elected officials, donors, community leaders and organisers from around the country to talk about how as a community we can reach the political sophistication where we are able to run for office and then help lead our country," he said.
Noting that numerous things got here out of the dialog, Raghavan said the Indian-American group was at a "tipping point" the place it has four members in america House of Representatives, one senator and over 90 candidates on the poll this yr.
"There's numerous enthusiasm and energy and for the primary time numerous Indian-American potential candidates are pondering to themselves, this is something I will be able to do.
"Whereas 10 years in the past you discovered that people were very reluctant to take into consideration running for administrative center, now there's a sense that it's imaginable for Indian-Americans who run for administrative center," Raghavan said.
Speak truth, raise voice against bigotry, hatred: Kamala Harris to Indian-Americans
![Speak truth, raise voice against bigotry, hatred: Kamala Harris to Indian-Americans]()
Reviewed by Kailash
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June 08, 2018
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